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Private · Day trip

Day trip to Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate from Marrakech

Marrakech · Tizi n’Tichka · Telouet · Ait Ben Haddou · Ouarzazate · Marrakech

The Ait Ben Haddou kasbah at sunset Film set at the Ouarzazate film studios Snow-capped Atlas peaks in winter

The trip at a glance

Duration
Full day · timing to suit you
Start and return
Marrakech
Pick-up
At your hotel or riad
Type of trip
Private: just your group
Vehicle
Air-conditioned 4x4 or van
Your driver speaks
English, Spanish, French or Italian

This day trip from Marrakech to Ouarzazate crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass and drops down the southern side, where green valleys give way to red earth, near-desert landscapes and mud-brick kasbahs. On the way you visit Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before reaching Ouarzazate, Morocco’s film town.

It’s a private tour, with a vehicle and driver just for your group. It’s a long day on the road, so being able to choose your own stops makes a real difference.

Route

What you’ll see

  • Crossing the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka pass
  • The Telouet kasbah
  • Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a film location
  • The Ouarzazate film studios
  • The Taourirt kasbah in Ouarzazate
  • Berber villages and Atlas viewpoints

What the day looks like

Early pick-up from your accommodation in Marrakech. The road climbs through Berber villages to the Tizi n’Tichka, the pass over the High Atlas, then heads down the southern side. We stop at the Telouet kasbah and carry on to Ait Ben Haddou: a fortified mud-brick village on a hill, listed by UNESCO, and the backdrop to films such as Gladiator.

Then Ouarzazate: its film studios and the Taourirt kasbah. In the afternoon, back to Marrakech over the same pass.

Ait Ben Haddou in a day, or with a night on the way?

You can do it in a day, but it means a lot of driving: 3.5 to 4 hours each way just to Ait Ben Haddou. If you’d rather take it slowly, some of our tours pass through Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate with a night on the road: the 3-day tour from Marrakech to Fes or the 10-day tour from Marrakech.

What’s included

Included and not included

Included

  • Pick-up from and return to your accommodation
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle (4x4 or van) and a driver who speaks English, Spanish, French or Italian
  • Local guide

Not included

  • Meals and drinks
  • Tips and personal expenses

Before you book

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive?

3.5 to 4 hours each way from Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou, plus about half an hour to Ouarzazate. The Tizi n’Tichka road is very winding: if you get car sick, tell your driver and you’ll stop more often.

Can I visit the desert on a day trip from Marrakech?

Not the Merzouga dunes: they are more than 9 hours’ drive away. To sleep in the desert you need a tour of at least 3 days, such as the Marrakech to Fes tour.

Which films were shot at Ait Ben Haddou?

The best known is Gladiator, but Ait Ben Haddou and the Ouarzazate studios have been used for many films and TV series. You can go inside the studios and see old film sets.

Is the day trip private or shared?

Private. The vehicle, a 4x4 or a van with air conditioning, and the driver are just for your group: you don’t share the day with other travellers. Your driver speaks English, Spanish, French or Italian.

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